Major uproar in Rajya Sabha over SP MP’s remarks on Rajput king Rana Sanga | India News

NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha on Friday witnessed a fiery showdown between the opposition leaders and the treasury bench over the remarks made by Samajwadi Party MP Ramji Lal Suman on medieval Rajput ruler Rana Sanga.
The SP MP sparked outrage by labelling Rana Sanga a “traitor” for allegedly inviting Babur to India to defeat Ibrahim Lodi. He has maintained his position, declining to retract his statement or offer an apology. His stance has provoked anger, resulting in alleged Karni Sena activists damaging his residence in Agra.
Earlier during the proceedings of the House, Dhankhar described Rana Sanga as a hero and stressed the need to respect public sentiments in parliamentary discourse.
“If we, as members of this house, express ourselves in the manner we are doing, irrespective of the gravity or enormity of the situation, then we are not contributing to the evolution of peace in society. We must introspect and reflect that, on such sensitive issues, if we do not send a message of peace and tranquillity, we will be failing in our duty,” Dhankhar said.
“In every situation, there may be occasions when we are carried away by emotions, but we must always strive for rectification. However, I wish to make it very clear that the sentiments of the people are very precious. At the same time, the dignity, security, and prestige of a member of this house are equally important,” he added.
Rising to register his protest over the remark, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also demanded that the opposition clarify its stance on the issue.
“If a national hero is insulted, the issue is not limited to Ramji Lal Suman alone. Even though his remarks were removed from the records, they remain on social media. Such language is unacceptable,” Rijiju said, demanding that Congress and its allies condemn the statement in no uncertain terms.
Responding to Rijiju, Kharge condemned the acts of vandalism against Suman’s property and opposed the “violence against Dalits.”
Leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha reiterated that while he agreed with the Dhankhar’s views, disagreement over a statement should not justify violent retribution.
“If there is a difference of opinion, it does not mean one should resort to arson, attacks on children, or bulldozing homes. The Constitution does not permit this,” Kharge said.
This comes in the wake of a controversial video that surfaced recently, in which Suman is purportedly heard calling Rana Sanga, the historic ruler of Mewar, a “traitor” for allegedly bringing Mughal ruler Babur to defeat Ibrahim Lodi.
The remarks led to a violent backlash. A mob reportedly linked to Karni Sena vandalised Suman’s residence near Hari Parvat Chauraha, damaging parked cars and breaking glass windows.
Videos showed a small number of police officers attempting to control the situation as the attackers rampaged. One policeman was injured during the violence.
Later, Ramji refused to back down on his comments saying, “there is nothing to apologise for.”
In an interview with PTI, Suman said that “people should develop a habit of listening to the right things” and firmly declared, “I will not apologise in this life.”
Following the incident, Agra police registered an FIR against an “unknown mob” under charges including rioting, attempted murder, house trespass, and robbery.